


Off to See the World

by ddagent



Category: Once Upon a Time (TV)
Genre: Adventure, Family, Gen, Grief/Mourning
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-11-04
Updated: 2013-11-04
Packaged: 2017-12-31 11:54:15
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,456
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1031433
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ddagent/pseuds/ddagent
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>A seven year old Belle and her cousin, Prince Eric, decide to set sail and have adventures.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Off to See the World

**Author's Note:**

> I do not own Once Upon a Time or any of its characters, or its settings - all belongs to the lovely folks at ABC.
> 
> For a long time I've had the head canon that Prince Eric is Belle's cousin and last night's episode didn't dispute it. Some spoilers for 3.06. Otherwise, enjoy!

She had been up since dawn preparing for their trip. The rope had been made out of her bed sheets, her books and a few clothes had been shoved into a brown sack. She wore her plainest blue dress and her most sensible pair of shoes as well as tying her curls out of her face. Staring in the mirror, she realised she looked like a character out of one of her books. She grinned. Belle was ready for an adventure.

 

Peering out of her chamber door, she caught sight of her cousin, Prince Eric, making his way slyly along the corridor. He had gone for plain clothes; nothing that would show him off as prince of the kingdom. He carried a bag too, and the wooden sword his father had presented him with hung on his belt. They were both ready to go. They just had to make sure they reached the docks before anyone noticed they had gone.

 

“Eric, come on!”

 

Belle stretched out her hand for her cousin to take. When she felt his fingers clasp around her own, she tugged him out of sight. Their main way out of the palace was the rope of sheets. It would hold them both, but not their baggage. Eric threw his bag down first, the gold coins he had procured pulling it to the ground. The books in Belle’s bag made a loud thump as it hit the earth. The two children waited, wondering if anyone would notice the sound. When no one came, they made their way out the window.

 

“Don’t look down, Belle,” Eric said, making his way down the rope first. “Just keep your eyes on the window.”

 

Belle rolled her eyes. Eric may be a boy, but she was the eldest. She could handle climbing down a rope. “I’ll be fine. Just keep moving.”

 

He helped her down the last couple of feet, making sure she was steady on the ground before they gathered themselves for the next stage. They walked as softly as they could towards the back entrance, hiding behind a pillar when two guards came close. Eric flung a stone in the fountain to distract them, allowing them to make their way through the unguarded door.

 

Suddenly they were free and out in the town, two young children off to see the world.

 

Belle had spent some time milling around her home town, but Pernier was a village compared to this. The smells of flowers and food from far off lands; the exotic creatures on the stalls; the people rushing in every direction! Her eyes darted around wildly as she tried to take it all in. Eric was equally awed – unlike Belle he had never got to experience the wonders of the town. He would get this chance, and many more. This market was only a taster of what they would see on their travels.

 

While her cousin explored some of the stalls, Belle pulled out the slip of paper detailing the ship they were to catch. They still had quite a walk to the dock, but if they didn’t dawdle they could make it just in time. Being late or being early carried the prospect of being taken home. Belle didn’t want to go home. She wanted adventure with Eric.

 

After reinforcing the details of her plan, Belle went in search of her cousin. She found him by a stall selling animals. He was on his knees, playing with a puppy with the shaggiest hair Belle had ever seen. His hands were delving into the fur, receiving licks in return for the soft touch.

 

“Come on Eric, we need to go catch that ship.”

 

Eric turned to Belle, his big eyes appealing to her. “I have the gold, Belle! Can we take him along? Please?”

 

Her teeth chewed on her bottom lip as she thought over bringing along a canine companion. Considering how young they were, a dog as protection was a good idea. Smiling, Belle knelt down beside her cousin and stroked the dog’s fur. “What shall we call him?”

 

“Max. We’ll call him Max.”

 

After Eric paid the seller, they continued on their journey. Belle navigated their way around the market and onwards to the docks. She had planned the trip well, using her time in the Royal Library to look up all the directions they would need and all the places they could go. They both had a list longer then themselves of all the sights they wanted to see.

 

By the time they reached the docks they were both bubbling with excitement at the possibilities that the journey would offer. The ship to Agrabah was on the furthest dock, the vessel huge and overwhelming to two small children. Sailors and merchants streamed onto the ship, carrying goods for the long journey to the desert. The two adventurers stayed to the side.

 

As another crate of cargo went into the hull, Eric sighed. “Belle, what if they say no?”

 

Belle turned to her cousin, pressing her hands to his shoulders to reassure him. “Eric, those ships are heading for far off lands. They want people who are prepared for some hard work but who also want adventure! And what are we, Eric?”

 

He grinned at her. “We’re adventurers!”

 

“That’s right!” She shared his smile. “So come on, let’s get aboard the ship and find our bunk.”

 

With Max at their heels, they made their way to the ship. Although she had planned out every detail, Belle’s clammy hand reached out for her cousin’s, squeezing it tight. She wanted adventure; she wanted to see the world. But it was a scary thing to do. She was glad to have Eric by her side, though. He was the bravest person she knew.

 

At the gangplank, they waited patiently for the man ticking off the inventory to look down and see them. When he didn’t immediately, Belle politely coughed to signal that she and her cousin were there. The man looked confused to the sound until he looked down to see two small children and a dog waiting eagerly. “Can I help you two?”

 

“We’re here to join your expedition to far off lands!” Belle declared. She tugged on Eric’s hand, reminding him to produce the small purse of gold coins. “We have the money to pay our board. We’re hard workers, too.”

 

The man chuckled, smiling at them. He knelt down to make sure he could look both of them in the eye. “Don’t you two think you’re a little… _young_ for adventurers?”

 

Eric shook his head vehemently. “We’re ready to see the world! And we can take care of ourselves.” The young prince pulled his wooden sword from his belt and demonstrated a few of the moves Farrell had taught him, eventually pressing the wooden sword against the sailor’s throat. “My cousin knows several languages already. We’ll be an asset to your voyage.”

 

The sailor looked between the two of them and smiled. For a moment, Belle truly believed that he was going to give them passage. But then his smile faded as the sailor saw something behind them. They had come too early.

 

“Your Majesty!”

 

The sailor bowed as King Kristoph made his way from his carriage to the gang plank. The King raised the man from his feet, patting him on the shoulder in the process. “Thank you so much for finding my son and niece, sailor. We were quite worried when we noticed them missing. If you don’t mind, I would like to take these two would be adventurers home.”

 

“Of course, sire. Fates keep you, sire, and the Queen.”

 

Belle didn’t look up as one of her uncle’s guards pressed a hand to her shoulder, leading them back to the carriage. With every step she felt her heart grow heavy. She had honestly thought it would work. It would have been nice to see the world. Or at least something new.

 

No one spoke on the journey back to the palace, although the King spent some time stroking the pup on Eric’s lap. Eric stared out the window; Belle at her hands. They should have been departing for the wide ocean, not sitting in a plush carriage awaiting a telling off.  

 

When the carriage stopped, the King stepped out first. He then picked his son out and plopped him onto the stone. She had never seen her uncle angry, and even now he did not look so. He just looked disappointed.

 

Eric looked at his feet as he prepared for his father’s speech. “Young man, I want you to go to your room and think about what you did. Then I want you to go apologise to your mother – she was quite distraught, she thought someone had taken you. Take your royal pooch with you, get him something to eat. He will be your responsibility; if he’s not taken care of he’ll be given away. Do you understand?”

 

“I do, Father,” Eric said, twisting his head to see his cousin. “See you later, Belle.”

 

The young prince was escorted back to his chambers. Belle still sat in the carriage, wondering what was coming next. Her uncle offered his hand, helping Belle out onto the cobbled floor. He dismissed the carriage and the two began to walk back into the palace. She almost felt as if she was walking to the gallows.

 

“You know there are not many people I know who could plan an escape from this palace; navigate their way down to the docks and persuade a sailor to let them board a ship heading to Agrabah. Especially not at age seven.” Her uncle stopped and looked down at her, his lips curving into a sad smile. “You are a bright girl, Belle. You will go far, I have no doubt. I just need you to realise the consequences of your actions. Your father would have been distraught.”

 

Belle nodded, her hands twisting themselves into knots. “I know, Uncle Kris. I just…”

 

The King knelt beside her, his large hand brushing away the tears that threatened to fall. “I know, child. Maybe one day, when you and Eric are all grown up you can go on your adventures. For now, though, I need you to be strong and return to your father. Your mother’s death has not been easy on either of you. But give him time, he will be the man he once was again.”

 

“It feels like I’ve lost them both,” Belle whispered, her eyes filling with tears. “I didn’t want to lose Eric too.”

 

“Oh no, child. You will see him again; you will see him next summer!” He pressed a kiss to her forehead. “I know it’s not the same but you need to be brave, Belle. Can you be brave?”

 

Her curls shook. “Eric’s the brave one.”

 

“I think you don’t give yourself nearly enough credit. You know I always told Eric ‘do the brave thing and bravery will follow’. It will, Belle. I know I ask much of you but I believe that your heart is strong and true. Can you be brave and return home?”

 

Swallowing, Belle nodded. She wiped her tears away with the back of her hand and straightened her spine. She would be brave. She would be brave and strong for herself and for her father.

 

With another soft smile, her uncle left her on the balcony to think. The ocean was so clear here, so beautiful. She would sail on those waters; see the lands described in her books. She would make her father strong again and then join her cousin in seeing the world.

 

It would just be like one of her books.

 

\--

 

Eric stared out over the ocean, his hands gripping the stone railings to anchor him. In less than a day he would be setting sail for lands forgotten, kingdoms unexplored. He would get to see every inch of the world, every shadow and every grain of sand. He had been planning this journey for years and now that he was going something felt missing.

 

_Eric, those ships are heading for far off lands. They want people who are prepared for some hard work but who also want adventure! And what are we, Eric?_

“Adventurers.” Eric swallowed as he thought about his cousin. “We’re adventurers.”

 

Turning away from the water, Eric saw his father approach. He had once been the most jovial of kings, the light of a kingdom blessed by the Gods themselves. But now that light was an echo. The Ogres had plagued their borders; their finances had taken a dip due to the troubles of war. But nothing had aged his father more than the Queen’s passing. Time was running out for them both and Eric knew that it was now or never for this trip.

 

“Are you here to ask me to reconsider?” Eric asked.  

 

His father snorted. “If I begged you, would it make any difference?”

 

“None whatsoever. I’ve made up my mind.” Eric glanced back over the balcony. For so long the sky had been stained with blood, the oceans rough and wild like the fields of battle. But now all that was a distant memory. “This was Belle’s dream, Father. She wanted to see the world, to have adventures. Every year when she would come for the summer we would plan a new part of the trip. I’m following her route. Not changing a single port.”

 

His father squeezed his shoulder, trying to comfort him. The news of Belle’s deal with the Dark One had grieved them both. Despite the reward of a peaceful kingdom, it had been a high price to pay.

 

“Entire chapters should have been written about my cousin. She saved us all but she will barely end up as a footnote in our kingdom’s history. I promise I will return and I will return dedicated to my royal duties. But for now I need to go on my adventure. To honour her, to remember her. I don’t expect you to approve. Just to understand.”

 

Eric waited for his father’s response, and eventually he was pulled into his father’s embrace. He would be fine; the Gods had saved him once and they would save him again. Despite the dangers that lurked in the world, this was just something he had to do.

 

After his father went to oversee preparations for the Ursula ball, Eric returned to staring over the ocean. He wondered if, somewhere, Belle was looking out over the water and thinking about him. In the books they had read as children the adventurers were always reunited before going on another grand trip.

 

It was a pity that real life was never like the stories.

 


End file.
